Vending machine



Dec. 10, 1946. RYNO ET AL 2,412,539

VENDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 26, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Jul/6125i:

6 21621 265 C :9 Jada $072.5 3

Dec. 10, 1946 J. B. RYNO ET AL 2,412,539

VENDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 26, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 10, 1946. I J, RYNO ET AL 2,412,539

VENDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 26, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 10, 1946 VENDING MACHINE .Fuddson B. Ryno, Chicago, and Charles L. Casey, Riverside, Ill., assignors to Reliable Sheet Metal Engineering (30., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application October 26, 1944, Serial No. 560,378

'7 Claims.

A further object is to provide improved means for closing the coin receiving opening, and improved means for controlling the actuation of said closing means.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention, in which Fig. l is a perspective view of a machine of this character, constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention, and with the front plate removed.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the front plate of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical, ectional view taken on line 33, Big. 5.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on line 4-4, Fig. 5, showing some of the parts in a different position from that shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal, sectional view taken on line 5%3, Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken on line S, Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view taken on line T -l, Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view showing the manner of locking the ejector slide, by the follower, against return movement.

Th machine consists, essentially, of an outer casing or housing Ill, which may be of any desired size configuration, and constructed of any suitable material, the front of the casing being open and provided with a removable closure l l havin an oifset portion l2, in which latter is provided a coin receiving slot [3. The lower edge M of the lower portion lb of the closure is adapted to be seated in a groove or channel H3, and at the upper end of the closure may be provided a suitable look i! which engages beneath a flange or portion Hi, to removably secure the closure in position. The closure 2 is preferably provided with flanges l9 that extend behind the side walls of the casing.

Within the housing thus formed, is a removable supporting structure or frame comprising uprights 2%, to form a receptacle or holder 2| for the articles to be vended, and this structur is shaped to form a platform :22, a portion of which forms the bottom of the holder 2 I. When in position, and when the closure II is in place, the platform 22 will be disposed beneath and spaced from the offset portion l2 of the closure.

Mounted to slide upon the platform 22, and between suitable guides 23, is an ejector 24, preferably in the form of a plate, having a slot 25 therein, and also being provided with anapertur or opening 26. At the forward end of the guides 23 is arranged an upright 21 having an opening 23 therethrough, in alinement with the slot 25 in the ejector. Supported by the upright 2'! is a pocket 29, one wall of which is formed by the upright 21, and the other wall is provided with an opening 39 in alinement with the opening 28 in the upright 21. The entrance to the pocket .29 is in alinement with the coin receiving opening 53 in the front or closure ll of the casing, so that when a coin is dropped into the opening l3, and the parts of the mechanism are in the proper position, the coin will drop into the pocket 29, and into an opening 3| in the platform 22. This opening 3| is of a size and shape that when a coin is dropped into the opening 8!, it will not pass entirely therethrough, as shown more clearly in Fig. '7, but will be supported by the edges of the slot or opening 3!, and by fingers or up-turned portions 32 on the ejector 24 on each side of the slot 25 in the ejector.-

The numeral 33 designates an oscillatable shaft pivotally supported by the said frame, and removable therewith from the casing. Connected to the shaft 33 for oscillation therewith, is an arm 34, one extremity 35 of which arm is positioned in front of the upright 21 in the normal position of the arm, as shown in Fig. 3, and is adapted to be moved by rocking the shaft 33 in the proper direction, by means of an operating handle 35, through the opening 3!! in th wall of the pocket, and, against the coin which is in the pocket. By a further movement of the operating handle 35 and, consequently, the extremity 35 of the arm, this extremity will be moved through the opening 39 in the front wall of the pocket, into engagement with the coin, and will force the coin, together with the ejector 24, forwardly, so that the edge of the ejector will contact with the edge of the lowermost article 36a 3 in the holder, to eject the latter so that it will be discharged, by means of a chute 31, to the delivery outlet 38 of the casing.

When the extremity of the arm 34 first contacts the coin in the pocket, the coin and the extremity of the arm will be moved through the opening 28 in the front wall 21 in the pocket, and as the coin is forced against the upturned ends or fingers 32 of the ejector 24, the ejector will be advanced to eject the article. This advancement of the coin and ejector will cause the coin to be positioned so as to drop through an enlarged portion 39 of the slot 3| in the platform 22, into a receptacle 4!). This receptacle is removably supported by means of suitable guides 4|, and may be removed through the front of the machine when the closure II is removed, as will be clearly seen from Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings.

As soon as the article has been ejected and the operating handle 33 is released, the shaft 33 and the arm 34 will be returned to their normal positions by means of the spring 42, one end of which spring is anchored to an arm 43 on the shaft 33, as at M, and the other end of the spring is anchored to a fixed support 45 on the removable casing.

Thus it will be seen that by inserting a proper coin into the coin receiving opening i3, and by operating the shaft 3-3, the ejector may be moved forwardly and an article dispensed. As soon the handle 36 is released, the spring 42 will serve to return the shaft and the arm 34 to their nor mal positions, and, in so doing, the extremity 35 of the arm will engage the rear end 46 (see Fig. 4) of the slot 25 in the ejector, to move the latter back to normal position.

Arranged within the holder 2!, and supported by the supply of articles 350,, is a follower 4! which may be of any desired configuration, but is here shown as being formed of a channel bar which rests upon the article. A handle 48 may be connected to the follower, by means of which it may be removed and replaced in the holder 2|. Carried by the follower 41, and loosely projecting therethrough, is a pin or member 49 that is freely removable with respectto the follower.

When the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, that is, when the holder 2| contains a supply of articles to be vended, the follower will rest upon the top of the supply, and as the pin or member 49 is loosely mounted upon the follower, it will assume the position with respect to the follower, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. When, however, the follower reaches the bottom of the holder 2|, and rests upon the last article 36a therein, the last article may be vended or delivered by the ejector, but as the ejector ejects the last article, it will be moved so that the opening 26 the -ein will be in alinement with the end of the pin 49 carried by the follower 41, so that the pin will enter thereinto, the wall of the opening 26 forming a shoulder behind which the pin engages. The pin will also enter an opening 50 in the platform 22, and thereby lock the ejector against return movement. However, when the parts are in this position, that is, when the .jector is locked against return movement, and when the operating handle 36 is released, the spring 42 will return the arm 34 and extremity 35 to a certain extent, which extent of return movement will be limited by the engagement of the extremity 35 of the arm 34 against the end 46 of the slot 25 in the ejector, and this will prevent the extremity from moving too far backwardly, so as to control a closure for the pocket 4 29, and thereby prevent the insertion of a coin into the pocket when the machine is empty.

The closure for the pocket 29 preferably consists of a pivotally mounted member 5|, of any desired or suitable construction, the extremity 52 of which is movable into the position shown in Fig. 4, to prevent the insertion of a coin there-- into, and out of the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 3, to permit of the insertion of a coin thereinto. The normal position of the closure 5| is that shown in Fig. 3, and in dotted lines in Fig. 4. It will assume this position by reason of the fact that the end or extremity 35 of the arm 34, under the stress of the spring 42, will cause the parts to assume the positions shown in Fig. 3, so as to uncover the pocket. When, however, a proper coin is inserted, and the shaft 33 rocked in a clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 3, the extremity 35 will move away from the closure 5| to the position shown in Fig. 4, and the closure will automatically assume the full-line position in such figure.

When the last article is ejected from the hold-- er, and as the ejector will be locked against re turn, the extremity 35 of the arm 34 will also be locked against return, and will be prevented from moving the closure 5|, so that the pocket 29 will be opened. If desired, a stop 52 may be provided to limit the opening movement of the closure 5|.

All of the parts of the mechanism are mounted upon the frame, which is removable, as a unit, from the casing ID by removing the closure One of the side walls of the casing is provided with a suitable slot 53 for the reception of the shaft 33, and to permit the shaft to slide therethrough when the unit is removed from the casing.

While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be un derstood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a vending machine, an article holder, an ejector slide for ejecting the articles from the holder, an operating element for the slide, separate therefrom, a coin receiver, a shoulder on the slide behind which the coin will be positioned when inserted into said receiver, means for actuating said element, to cause the element to engage the coin and, through the medium of said coin, actuate the slide to eject an article, said element also operating to return the slide when the coin is discharged from said receiver, a follower in said holder, and a projection carried by said follower, adapted to engage behind a shoulder on the slide, in the absence of articles in the holder, for looking the slide against return movement, whereby the said element may be returned independently of the slide.

2. In a vending machine, an ejector slide, an actuating element separate from and operable independently of the slide, means for operating said element, a coin receiver, a shoulder on the slide behind which the coin is adapted to be positioned when in the receiver, to be engaged by said element upon movement of the latter in one direction, to move the slide to eject an article, and a closure for said receiver separate from said element and movable into and out of active position with respect to the receiver, said closure being controlled in such movements by the operation of said element.

3. In a vending machine, an ejector slide, an actuating element separate from the slide, means for operating said element, a coin receiver, a shoulder on the slide behind which the coin is adapted to be positioned when in the receiver, to be engaged by said element upon movement of the latter in one direction, to move the slide to eject an article, and a pivotally mounted member movable into position to close and open said receiver, said closure being controlled in its move ments by the movements of the said element.

4. In a vending machine, an ejector slide for the articles, an actuating element for moving the slide, said element being separate from said slide, an operating handle for moving the said element, a coin receiver, a shoulder on said slide behind which the coin is positioned when in said receiver, there being openings in the walls of said receiver through which said element is adapted to pass in the absence of a coin in the receiver, said element engaging a coin when present in the receiver, to shift said slide to move the latter in one direction, said coin being delivered automatically from said receiver, whereby the said element may be returned independently of the slide, and means for locking the slide against return movement.

5. In a vending machine, an ejector slide for the articles, an actuating element for moving the slide, said element being separate from said slide, an operating handle for moving the said element, a coin receiver, a shoulder on said slide behind which the coin is positioned when in said receiver, there being openings in the walls of said receiver through which said element is adapted to pass in the absence of a coin in the receiver, said element engaging a coin when present in the receiver, to shift said slide to move the latter in one direction, said coin being delivered automatically from said receiver, whereby the said element may be returned independently 6 of the slide, means for locking the slide against return movement, and means controlled in its operation by the actuation of said element, for closing and opening said coin receiver.

6. In a vending machine, an ejector slide for the articles, an actuating element for moving the slide, said element being separate from said slide, an operating handle for moving the said element, a coin receiver, a shoulder on said slide behindwhich the coin is positioned when in said receiver, there being openings in the walls of said receiver through which said element is adapted to pass in the absence of a coin in the receiver, said element engaging a coin when present in the receiver, to shift said slide to move the latter in one direction, said coin being delivered automatically from said receiver, whereby the said element may be returned independently of the slide, a holder for the articles, and a follower in the holder, the said slide and the said follower being provided, one with a projection and the other with a shoulder behind which the projection will engage, to lock the slide against return movement with the said element in the absence of articles in said holder.

7. In a vending machine, an ejector slide for the articles, an actuating element for moving the slide, said element being separate from said slide, an operating handle for moving the said element, a coin receiver, a shoulder on said slide behind which the coin is positioned when in said receiver, there being openings in the walls of said receiver through whichsaid element is adapted to pass in the absence of a coin in the receiver, said element engaging a coin when present in the receiver, to shift said slide to move the latter in one direction, said coin being delivered automatically from said receiver, through the slide and into the machine, whereby the said element may be returned independently of the slide, and means for locking the slide against return movement.

JUDDSON B. RYNO.

QHARLES L. CASEY, 

